When Envy Won’t Stay Put

You repent and resolve to put away envy, but the feelings only grow more intense. And so do the circumstances: five more of your friends get pregnant, or that one friend with the big house gets a bigger one!

Can anyone relate? I sure can.

At these times we can be tempted to discouragement and despair. We think, “This is not working. I might as well give up.” We may even become more entrenched in self-pity and envy than before.

But it helps to remember that this is a battle. The enemy (our sin of envy) won’t give up after just one jab. We may need to settle in for a long-term fight.

I remember a time I was struggling with envy: I prayed for God’s blessing on this person every morning for many months. My feelings didn’t change overnight, but over time, God transformed my heart to one of love for this person.

So let me encourage you—don’t give up in your battle against envy! Each time you pray, each time you meditate on God’s Word, each time you reflect on God’s goodness, you are weakening envy. Even though you might not see results at first, God will give you victory, if you persevere and do not give up.

“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Galatians 6:8-9